Rugby face a six-pointer

TO PRESERVE their top-six place, Rugby Town cannot afford to lose at home to Biggleswade Town on Saturday in what manager Martin Sockett regards as one of the most important games of the season so far.

TO PRESERVE their top-six place, Rugby Town cannot afford to lose at home to Biggleswade Town on Saturday in what manager Martin Sockett regards as one of the most important games of the season so far.

The Valley chief watched his men unluckily lose 1-0 at neighbours Bedworth United in midweek, a defeat that followed a run of three successive draws that has left a bit of cloud hanging over Butlin Road going into the new year.

However, Sockett is not about to panic although he insists his men must step up to the plate quickly if they are to stay in the hunt for a play-off place.

“There are four teams on 29 points including ourselves and Biggleswade so ideally we need all three points to consolidate that position,” said Sockett.

“We have games in hand on most of the others around us but that doesn’t guarantee anything.

“Now is the time to get our act together and kick on. As a team we are not doing a great deal wrong.

“The Bedworth defeat was just one of those games when we just could not put the ball in the back of the net and then we’ve got caught out in time added on.

“We are playing decent football but need to address this somewhat barren period with a victory.”